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A/NSW Privacy Commissioner Champions Data Privacy Day

28 January is Data Privacy Day, commemorating the signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty for privacy and data protection by the Council of Europe, on 28 January 1981. Data Privacy Day is the signature event in a greater privacy awareness and education around the world.

The Office of the NSW Privacy Commissioner is a champion of Data Privacy Day. This event aims to get people to think about their privacy and how they share personal information online.

In an era of ever changing and rapidly evolving technology, it is important to stay safe online. As Dr Elizabeth Coombs, the A/NSW Privacy Commissioner, said “Privacy has never been more relevant than during this time of technological change. Personal information is valuable and it is important to be aware of who can access it and what they do with information about you.”

“My Office regularly gets queries from the public about how their personal data is handled. People see it as a sign of respect if they are informed of why it is being collected, how it will be used and who will have access to it. This respect builds trust with those organisations, including government, which hold data – sometimes huge amounts of data. Complaints about inappropriate use and access have risen significantly over the last few years.”

As a Data Privacy Day Champion, the A/Privacy Commissioner supports the principle that everyone shares the ethical and legal responsibility of respecting privacy and protecting personal data. “The thing to remember is that privacy is the responsibility of us all. This means not just the individuals collecting and using personal data, but every person, from employees through to employers. The responsibility for privacy protection falls to each of us.” Dr Coombs has said.

The OPC has developed fact sheets to help you protect your privacy as well as checklists and animations to remind the public to mind your privacy manners online.For more information on Data Privacy Day, visit the Stay Safe Online website.